ELLE Rising Star Design Award for 2013

Posted on 12th June 2013

I know I posted about the ELLE Rising Star Design Award for 2013 quite recently, but I was invited to a blogger’s session about the award last week and I came away from it wishing that more companies in SA were inspiring talent in the way that ELLE & Mr Price are.

I’ve always been fascinated by the fashion industry, mostly because it’s one that I know little about. Admit it, you’ve found yourself wondering if everyone only eats lettuce leaves and sips on champers, while having access to countless wardrobe and accessory rooms like in ‘The Devil Wears Prada’.

Fast forward to the real world and like most jobs, the fashion industry is not all it seems. Behind every success story is a shit-load of hard work, stress, tears and alcohol. {Ok I made up the alcohol part, but it’s probably true ;) }
There’s no quick-route to fame and stardom as a fashion designer and unless Charlize or one of the Jennifer’s or a David, George or Brad walks up to you on the street and says “you have to dress me for this premiere tonight”, you’re pretty much going to have to work your ass off to the top of the fashion game.

So how often have you dreamed about your own fashion label?
Do you doodle fashion designs endlessly or buy garments in thrift stores, tear them up to see how they’re made and then redesign them?
Are you young and talented and currently a final-year fashion design student or graduates with no more than three years’ design experience who is not currently employed by a South African retailer? {sheesh that’s a mouthful but there are rules people!}

If this is you or someone you know, then this is THE time.ELLEand Mr Price have joined forces to launch YOUR career with the ELLE Rising Star Design Award for 2013.
Entries have already opened, so what are you waiting for?
Grab the June issue of ELLE for more information or download the entry forms online.

WHAT’S IN IT FOR THE WINNER?

Be prepared to be dazzled, as not only will the winner be given the opportunity to launch their own fashion label, but there’s an extensive mentoring programmewhich will offer invaluable fashion and business knowledge imperative to success in the competitive & dynamic world of fashion. The extensive mentorship programme, both during the competition and for 12 months after being named the 2013 ELLE Rising Star, will include two weeks at the Mr Price head office in Durban, where the winner will be exposed to the complete retail cycle, from trend forecasting to merchandising. And then they’ll also get to spend two weeks’ at ELLE’s Cape Town officewith Editor Jackie Burger and her fashion team and will be featured in the magazine.

The winner will also have the opportunity to redesign a pre-determined range in collaboration with Mr Priceand they’ll receive a cash prize of R25 000to help launch their own fashion career.

On top of all this – there is more:
The winner will also receive personal coaching from a business expert at the Gordon Institute of Business Science(GIBS) – this on its own is extremely covetable as the business side of fashion will chew you up and spit you out if you don’t have your business brains between your ears.

And then, last but not least, in 2014, the winner will have the opportunity to show their range at the 2014 ELLE Rising Star Design Awards.

Not shabby at all.
Now let’s hope other corporates take a leaf out of the ELLE & Mr Price handbook and start offering more mentorship-driven, career-changing programmes for SA talent!

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1 Comment

Emmanuel W. Holland

24th June 2013 at 7:59 AM

ELLE magazine SA in association with Mr.Price have officially launched this years edition of “Elle Rising Star Design Award 2013”. This initiative has been designed to launch and fast-track the career of the next big local fashion designer as well as provide extensive mentorship programmes from business experts from the Gordon Institute of Business Science. With that in mind it’s clear that the competition is undeniably a great platform to showcase the country’s raw talent and bring to light great talent while introducing fresh perspectives into the fashion industry.

About Ask Ashe

Brand Consultant + Editor

I’m Nicola Ashe - ad exec turned brand consultant, who quit the rate race in 2014, so I could finally breathe again. I live in Durban, South Africa with my husband and 3 rescue dogs and run Ask Ashe as a brand consulting business, helping people create and curate their own brands. But it's also my little space on the web, where I've shared design, decor, food, travel or lifestyle snippets since 2008.